Seed-planter



.A. O. EVANS.

SEED PLANTER.

(No Model.)

No. 417,159. Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

WITNESSES lINTTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN C. EVANS, OF SPRINGFIELD, OIIIO.

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,159, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed January 10, 1888. Renewed November 8, 1889. Serial No. 329,601. (No model.)

To aZZ 1117mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUSTIN C. EVANs,a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed-Planters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in seed-planters.

The object of the invention is to provide a hopper, and a cotton-seed agitator, and a partition which are interchangeable and respectively mounted and placed in the hopper, whereby a large hopper can be used to receive cotton-seed, which is agitated by the agitator and fed to the planting mechanism, and whereby a smaller hopper may be formed for planting corn and the corn kept in abulk essentially over the corn-dropping mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide removable plates at the sides of the hopper and arrange them so as to close two vertical slots-one in each side of the hopper-'- whereby the cot-ton seed may not escape through those slot-s when the agitator-shaft occupies the lower ends thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like referen ce-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a seed-planter with my llllPl'OVGll'lGlltS applied thereto, showing a portion of the hopper bro ken away to expose the arrangement of some of the interior parts; 'Fig. 2, a detail perspective view, partially in section, showing the partition in the hopper and the application of the driving-chain for operating the said dropping mechanism; Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of thehopper-partition5 and Fig. at, a detail perspective view of a portion of one side of the hopper, showing the metallic slot-frame and plate attached thereto.

The machine illustrated in Fig. 1 is of the type known as one-horse seed-planters; and it consists of the side beams A, transverse beams B and O, the shovel-standards D, and the handles In suitable adjustable standards F, secured to the forward part of the beams A, is mounted the shaft of a supporting-wheel G, which sustains the forward part with the usual or any approved type of cotton-seed-dropping mechanism, as suggested by spurred wheel L, which is mounted on a shaft M, as seen in Fig. This wheel feeds the'cotton-seed into a chute N, also of the usual construction.

I now come to the peculiarities of the hopper and to my improvements thereon, first observing that it is desirable in machines of this character to have a hopper of large capacity to be utilized for the reception of the cotton-seed, whereas when planting corn it is better to have a smaller hopper, substantially the area of the corn-dropping devices in the bottom thereof. IVith these things in view I provide the hopper with a removable partition, which, when in the large hopper, forms one of smaller size over the (30111-d'l013pl11g devices, as above mentioned, and which is removable and interchangeable with an agitator used in connection with planting cotton-seed. The side walls of the hopper are provided with the slots 0, in which are fitted frames 1, of cast or malleable iron and se cured as by screws or other fastening device Q. These frames are rounded at their lower ends to form a part. B of a bearing, and are provided with a boss to increase the ength of the bearing and to receive the lower end of a metallic plate T, which constitutes the upper portion of the bearing, and which is connected to the frame by a bolt and thumb or other nut U, the bolt passing through a slot in the plate. The frame is further provided with a stud V and the plate with a lug IV, which fits against the stud when the plate is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. It will be observed that the shaft X of the agitator, which is of any convenient construction and preferably of that form shown, is

placed in position by dropping it into theslots 0 when the plates T are in the position ICO shown in Fig. 2, and that it is secured in its bearings by placing those plates in the position seen in Figs. land at. When this is done and the driving-chain is arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the machine is ready for planting cotton-seed, in which arrangement sprocket-wheels Y and Z carry the said chain; V hen, however, it is desired to plant corn, either of those sprocket-wheels is mounted upon the shaft to of the seed-dropping device and some of the links dropped out of the driving-chain, so as to shorten it when it is placed upon the sprocket-wheel, as seen in Fig. 2. The agitator is removed and the partition, consisting of the wooden board Z) and the metallic plate 0, substituted, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that the part b occupies the slots previously occupied by the agitator-shaft, while the part 0 extends to the bottom, snugly fitting the sides, and is provided with a pin (Z, which enters the hole c in the bottom ofthe hopper, or, as in the present instance, in the annular top plat-e f of the said'drop'ping devices. Thus the partition is firmly held in'place and the smaller hopper formed of about the area of the dropping devices for planting corn. The plates T may also be placed as in Figs. 1 and 4, or may be allowed to hang as in Fig. 2. The. chaintightener g is of the usual construction.

It will be observed from the foregoing that inthismachine the user is supplied with a hopper of proper size for the proper planting of the cotton seed, while the corn-dropping mechanism remains inert and without action, and also that he is supplied with a hopper which is especially adapted for plantin g corn, and in the bottom of which corn-dropping mechanism is provided.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim. as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

-1. In a seed-planter, the following instrumentalities: the frame proper, a hopper carried thereby and having corn'dropping de-- vices and cotton-seed-planting mechanism, a partition removably secured therein, and a cottonseed agitator arranged to be mounted in the hopper in lieu of the partition, for the purpose described.

2. In a seed-planter, the following instruinentalities: a frame proper, a supportingwheel whose shaft carries a sprocket-pinion,

a planting boot and chute, a hopper carried by the main frame and having seed-dropping devices which feed to said boot and cottonplanting mechanism which feeds to said chute, a sprocket-pinion on the shaft of the latter, a partition removably mounted in the hopper, a revolving agitator arranged to be mounted in the hopperin lieu of the partition, a sprocket-pinion on the agitator-shaft, a drive-chain passing over the said three sprocket-pinions, a removable pinion for the shaft of the seeddropping devices, around which said chain is arranged to be placed, suitable shovel-standards, and handles.

3. In a seed-planter, the combination, with a hopper having its sides slotted, of a partition, metallic frames secured in the sad slots, and adjustable plates secured to said frames, the partition consisting of a part which removably fits said slots and another part which extends through the bottom of the hopper.

4. In a seed-planter, the combinatiomwit-h' a hopper having slots in its sides, metallic frames fitted in said. slots and forming bearings at their lowerends, of a seed-agitator, the shaft whereof is fitted in the said slots and bearings, and metallic plates adj ustably secured to saidframes andforming when in place the upper portions of'said bearings.

5. 111a seed-planter, the combination, with the hopper having, its sides slotted andhaving a hole in the bottom, of apartition fittedto the hopper and sustained in the said slots and having a projection which enters said hole, and seed-dropping devices mounted at the bottom of the-hopper and between the end wallthereof and said partition.

6.111 a seed-planter, the combination, with ahopperhaving its sides slotted,.of metallic frames secured in said slots, forming parts of bearings at their lower ends and having each an outwardlyprojecting boss and;

lug, and a slotted plate secured to each frame by a bolt and nut and forming the other parts of said bearings, having a lug which fits against said stud and fitted upon said bosses at their lower ends.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUSTIN O. EVANS. \Vitnesses:

G. O. LEEDLE, WILBER CoLvIN. 

